This book analyses the sustainability of membrane operations applied on an industrial scale, as well as that of those under investigation on lab/pilot scales, covering also the preparation of both polymeric and inorganic membranes. It presents reverse osmosis in desalination, membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment and pressure-driven industrial wastewater treatment in agrofood and textile fields as examples of industrial membrane operations. Regarding the membrane processes still on a lab/pilot scale, the analysis includes membrane operations for the recovery of valuable products from wastewater streams, for the removal of toxic compounds from water/wastewater, and for zero liquid discharge approaches in desalination. The book offers a useful guide for scientists and engineers working in various fields, including membrane technology, separation, desalination, and wastewater treatment.

Alberto Figoli and Alessandra Criscuoli are both Senior Researchers at the Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), Italy.

Dr. Alberto Figoli has been a senior researcher at the Institute on Membrane Technology, ITM-CNR (Italy) since 2001. He received his PhD in Chemical Technologies at the Membrane Technology Group, Twente University (Enschede, The Netherlands) in 2001. He is an expert in the field of membrane technology, particularly in membrane preparation and characterisation as well as membrane operation related to environmental issues. He received the prize for scientific productivity in 2006: the 'Food Packaging Research - GSICA Award'. He is a member of several associations dealing with membranes (EMS, GISCA, and EFCE). He has been a member of the PhD Council of the University of Calabria SIACE Doctorate School (Italy) since 2014. He was elected as a member of the Council of the European Membrane Society (EMS) for the period 2015-2019 with responsibility for 'Education and Awards' activities (2015-2017) and is'Secretary' for the period 2017-2019. He is responsible for ITM-CNR of several European FP7 projects and national projects with private companies. He is also an evaluator of scientific research projects and PhD theses, and a member of selection/award juries and of conference scientific committees. He is the author of more than 100 scientific papers published in international peer-reviewed journals, 3 books and 16 chapters. He is also co-editor of special issues on membrane operations for journals. He also holds two international membrane technology patents.

Dr. Alessandra Criscuoli has been a senior researcher at the Institute on Membrane Technology, ITM-CNR (Italy) since 1999. She obtained her PhD in Chemical Engineering and New Materials at the Department of Chemical Engineering and New Materials of the University of Calabria (Italy) in 2000. She is an expert in membrane operations, especially in membrane contactors applied to water and wastewater treatments and to water desalination. She has been a member of the University of Calabria (Italy) PhD Council in Chemical Engineering and Materials (now SIACE) since 2010 and member of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) Section on Membrane Engineering since 2008. She was a member of the Council of the European Membrane Society (EMS) (2011-2014) responsible for 'Education and Awards' activities. She is also a member of evaluation committees and of scientific and organisation committees of international conferences. She is reviewer of scientific research projects and PhD theses. She is also scientific head of national and international research projects. She is author of one book on membrane contactors and of more than 70 contributions published in international peer-reviewed journals and as book chapters. She is also the co-editor of two books and journal special issues on membrane operations.